Need for Speed: World/Car Classes (Update)

Car Classes is a gameplay balance patch for Need for Speed: World released on August 22nd, 2012. It replaced the Tier rating system for player purchasable vehicles as well as match-making, gameplay balancing, performance parts, player progression and many aspects of the title's user interface.

Contents

A car's class is attached to its overall performance rating (H. A. T.) as this score includes a car's handling, acceleration and top speed ratings. There are six vehicle classes with each encompassing a minimum and maximum H. A. T. score.

The implementation of the new car class system also coincided with a revamp of the performance rating system. The system was altered to better display a car's performance attributes.

Class

HAT Rating

E

0 - 249

D

250 – 399

C

400 – 499

B

500 – 599

A

600 – 749

S

750 – 1000

A car with a given class rating will be best suited for competing against other cars with the same rating and higher level class ratings relating to better performing vehicles.

Each car has a base car class that represents its performance when fitted with no performance parts. A car can be modified with the application of performance parts to alter its car class.

A car can be pushed up a class depending on the arrangement, quality and traits of the applied performance parts. These parts can then be removed to drop a car into a lower car class or back to its base car class. No vehicle is capable of dropping below its base car class.

The pricing of all in-game cash and SpeedBoost cars was modified alongside their H. A. T. performance rating.

New players will receive a starting cash amount of 200,000 instead of 30,000. This allows new players to purchase higher car class vehicles upon entering the title as the Driver Level requirement for all in-game cash vehicles will be lifted.

Additional Car Slots will be offered as players increase their Driver Level. Players will earn two Car Slots upon entering the with an additional slot unlocking at Driver Levels 12, 20, 30, 40 and 50. Players were at Driver Level 50 before the application of the update retroactively received four additional car slots.

The Car Classes update increased the number of available base cars for redemption with in-game cash. Base cars are only be available without any equipped performance upgrades, skill mods or visual parts.

The available selection of base performance cars alters every fortnight (two weeks) with an alternative series of cars being made available with each rotation. This includes a series of SpeedBoost-only redemption vehicles that each feature a different configuration of performance, skill mods and visual parts.

Non-base performance cars that could be purchased with in-game cash were removed from the car dealer after the application of the update. This included the;

The alteration from a Tier based balancing system to a Class based balancing system also meant that Tier locked performance parts were altered in accordance with the update.

Performance Parts are no longer be grouped into Tier 1, 2 or 3 with them instead being made available across any and all vehicles. Players keep all of the performance parts that they had equipped to their vehicles as well as all parts in their inventory after the application of the update.

The series of Silver, Gold and Platinum Car Packs were hept after the update except they were altered to no longer be bound to a specific Tier.

All Street grade performance parts were made available from the car dealer as well as removing the need for a specific Driver Level to unlock them.

The integration of the Car Classes update invoked a redesign regarding the User Interface that players utilise when in the Safehouse.

This redesign was to better aid players that were navigating for a specific vehicle that they own or viewing vehicles they can purchase in the Car Dealer. This also allowed players to view vehicles in the Car Dealer by; make, class, style, newly added vehicles, on sale vehicles and limited availability vehicles.

This change also effected the available information regarding a vehicle's equipped Skill Mods, Performance Parts and Aftermarket Parts. This included a mouse-over option for each installed part to show its attributes.

A final inclusion was a revised design for a vehicle's performance scoring. This involve the altered H. A. T. scoring system.

The events and matchmaking processes were altered with the application of the Car Classes update. This included a series of changes to which vehicles players will be able to participate with in certain events.

The update removed the Driver Level restriction for all events meaning that all events would be available from the beginning of a player's career.

Events are be placed into two categories; Open Event and Class Event. Open Events allow players to enter with any vehicle but Class Events require players to join with a vehicle that meets the required Car Class.

The Map user interface was altered to accommodate the changes to event listings as well as the Events-of-the-Day system.

Matchmaking was effected by the Car Classes update. The "N" logo found at the top of the players head-up display (HUD) was modified to find an event that the player's vehicle meets including Class events and Open events.

The general matchmaking system was altered to take into account the Car Class of a player's vehicle. This alteration was made to benefit all players by matching up those with similar performing vehicles and skill.

All Circuit and Sprint events were reduced from a maximum of eight players to six players.

The Rewards that players receive from completing events were altered to match the increased availability of in-game cash purchasable cars.

The number of possible Rewards for players in Private Events were altered to give players increased quality rewards.

The Lucky Draw was altered as well to give better quality rewards as a player increases their Driver Level. Higher Driver Levels give increased chances for players to be rewarded with Ultra Performance Parts, 3-star Skill Mods and rare Aftermarket parts.

The schema of available Rewards was altered with the removal of low quantity Power-up rewards such as a single Nitrous or single Juggernaut. Another alteration to the schema was the addition of a Jackpot. The Jackpot is a very rare but highly prized reward.